Rav Moshe, born in 5519/1759, was the son of Rav Pinchas of Koretz, and the son-in-law of Rav Yitzchok, the Dayan of Polnoy, father of Rav Gedalia of Linitz, mechaber of Teshuos Chen.
Despite his greatness in Torah he initally refused to serve in the rabbinate, although eventually he agreed to serve as Rav of Slovita in a non-salaried position. In his youth he studied safrus and eventually made his living from molding block letters and setting typeface for a printing press. Eventually he set up his own printing press and his publishing house became renowned as the most modern state-of-the-art facility in his time. His sons inherited the press.
Rav Moshe was beloved by the people and Rabbonim of his generation. Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad and mechaber of the Tanya, called him “the great luminary and renowned, filled with Torah and yiras Shomayim.”
The Slovita Press was renowned by chassidim especially for its beautiful typeface as well as the holiness and kedushah that permeated the business. Tradition has it that they even toiveled the press machines in the mikvah before using them!
The peak achievement of the Slovita press and publishing house was a beautifully printed Shas, which caused a later dispute with the printers and publishers who were working on the Vilna edition of the Shas. Among his supporters were numerous Rabbonim, including misnagdim.
His sons, Rav Shmuel Abba and Rav Pinchos, were arrested, imprisoned and tried, and this caused him bitter pain and anguish, contributing to his ill health and petira four years later. His third son, Rav Mordechai, lived in Shpetivka.
